Spurious liquor kills 24 in Bihar

At least 24 persons have died in Bihar’s Siwan and Saran districts after drinking hooch, reported the Hindustan Times.

As of Thursday, at least 20 persons died in Siwan district while four died in the neighbouring Saran district.

The sale and consumption of alcohol has been banned in Bihar since April 2016. However, instances of residents falling ill and dying after drinking spurious liquor are often reported from the state.

Saran District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta confirmed that 38 other persons were hospitalised in the district after drinking spurious liquor. He said that a show-cause notice had been issued to excise department officials.

Saran Superintendent of Police Kumar Ashish said that a Special Investigation Team of the Bihar Police had been formed to investigate the incident. He confirmed that a first information report has been filed against eight persons, of whom three have been arrested.

Siwan Superintendent of Police Amitesh Kumar said: “The trail of liquor smuggling to the area is being established. The station house officer of Bhagwanpur Haat police station…has been suspended for liquor smuggling.”

Siwan Civil Surgeon Dr Shrinivas Prasad told the Hindustan Times that 25 people in the district, including two women, were receiving medical treatment at a local hospital after consuming hooch. Four other persons had been referred to Patna Medical College...

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